“What the hell’s going on?” Rafael asked, joining in beside Griffin. “You - Skylar, or whatever your name is - can you just calm down for a second?”
“No, I can’t calm down,” Skylar yelled. “If you two are up to something, it’s totally in my right to ask you to leave, since you’re technically on Omega Angel Café property!” He gestured aggressively to the pavement at their feet. Then he pointed at Griffin. “And besides that, you’re a pig!”
“Hey, don’t talk to him like that!” Rafael objected. “I mean, yeah, he did some shit, but he was gonna apologize - ”
“Excuse me, but you don’t know anything about this situation,” Skylar growled to Rafael. “So just be quiet and stay out of this!”
Rafael opened his mouth to retort, but I held up a hand and said, “Can both of you just shut up for one second?”
They quieted down and stared at me.
“Jake?” Skylar asked. He put his hand on my arm gently. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I can get rid of them for you.”
“No, that’s the thing,” I said, waving him away. “They don’t have to leave. It’s fine. I want to talk to Griffin.”
“Jake, no. Don’t do it,” Skylar warned. “He’s only going to lie to you again. Just forget about him.”
“What?” Griffin asked in shock.
“Don’t talk,” Skylar growled at him.
“Sky,” I began.
“Listen, you,” Rafael barked at Skylar. “It’s Griffin’s baby, too! He has a say in this! So why don’t you let him talk?”
“He doesn’t get a say!” Skylar snarled. “When you run out on someone, you lose your right to say anything! Because that’s what pig alphas do!”
“Skylar!” I snapped.
At the same time, Griffin said, “Rafael!”
Our friends went silent.
“This is our conversation,” I said slowly and quietly. “So could the two of you please be quiet and leave us alone?”
“Agreed,” Griffin mumbled.
Rafael and Skylar exchanged glances.
“If you’re sure,” Skylar said to me, casting a glare at Griffin.
“I’m very sure. Here.” I handed Skylar the stack of posters. “Wait for me, okay? I won’t be long.”
Skylar hesitated for another beat, then he skulked off inside the café. Rafael didn’t seem like he wanted to stand in the middle of the sidewalk any longer, so he also went inside.
Now Griffin and I stood alone. It was him who spoke first.
“I was going to contact you tonight after work,” he said. “But it seems the universe had a different idea in mind.”
I cracked a smile. “Seems the universe really likes to meddle with us, huh?”
“Jake. I’m sorry.” He lowered his gaze. “What happened was entirely my fault. There was no excuse for me running out the way I did.”
My voice softened with pain. “Then why did you do it?”
“I was afraid. That’s the truth. I wasterrified.I went home and sobbed because I was so frightened of what would happen.”
“But why?” I pleaded. I took a step closer to him, and without thinking, I took his hands in my own. “What were you so afraid of? That I would be like Heath?”
